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These Vermicelli Noodle Bowls are packed with colorful vegetables and come together in under 30 mins. The perfect light, yet filling lunch or dinner for those warm-weather days. Vegan & Gluten-Free.
These Vermicelli Noodle Bowls have everything – fresh and colorful veggies, crispy tofu, springy noodles, crunchy toppings, and a sweet & tangy dressing!
This vibrant and healthy recipe is ready to enjoy in just about 30 minutes, making it the perfect easy dinner or lunch — especially when it’s hot out and you can’t be bothered to cook. It’s quickly become one of my go-to warm weather meals; one bite and you’ll be hooked!
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An Easy Meal that’s Delicious *and* Refreshing
This recipe is inspired by Vietnamese Bún Chay, which directly translates to “Vegetarian Rice Noodles”. Typically, this recipe combines thin rice vemicelli noodles with lettuce, a variety of crunchy veggies, a protein source, and lots of fresh herbs and peanuts as garnishes!
These noodle bowls are a great way to pack in lots of vegetables and nutrients into one healthy and filling meal. It’s basically like a salad, but the noodles make it way more fun 😉
Ingredients for Vermicelli Noodle Bowls
Though it may seem like this recipe has a lot of components to it, it’s an incredibly easy recipe to whip up when you’re running low on time – the hardest part is chopping all the vegetables
- Thin Vermicelli Rice Noodles: These very thin rice noodles are springy and perfectly light, yet filling. They make the perfect base for our noodle bowl.
- Fresh Veggies: leafy green lettuce, carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, and bean sprouts bring a rainbow of colors and add the perfect crunch
- Fresh Herbs: cilantro, mint, Thai basil, and/or Vietnamese perilla (tía tô) would all make delicious additions to this recipe, bringing a pop of bright color and fresh flavor.
- Sweet Chili Tofu: I chose to top these bowls with my saucy, crispy Sweet Chili Tofu, which is more Thai-inspired, making this a fusion dish.
- Crunchy Peanuts: dry-roasted peanuts are the perfect topper for these bowls, adding a rich nutty flavor, some healthy fats, and plant-based protein.
- A Sweet & Tangy Dressing: Rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and garlic combine to make a tangy, salty, and slightly sweet marinade that brings this dish to life.
How to Make Vermicelli Noodle Bowls
You’ll need less than 30 minutes to bring this recipe together. Just follow these simple steps:
- Soak the noodles in hot water until tender – this only takes a few minutes!
- In the meantime, shake the tangy dressing up in a jar (or whisk in a small bowl) and chop your vegetables
- Assemble the bowls with noodles and lettuce on the bottom, then top with all the crunchy veggies and fresh herbs.
- Drizzle each bowl with dressing and sprinkle with peanuts, then enjoy!
Time-Saving Tips:
- Buy Pre-Seasoned Tofu: Skip the homemade Crispy Tofu and opt for pre-seasoned tofu instead. You can usually find this in your grocery store in the refrigerated aisles.
- Pre-Chop Your Vegetables: If you’re planning on making this for meal-prep or just want less day-of prep time, you can pre-chop all of your vegetables for a faster assembly. I recommend storing the sliced carrots and cucumber in an airtight container with a little water to keep them from drying out!
FAQs:
You can usually find vermicelli noodles in the Asian or International aisle of most grocery stores. I love using them for this recipe because you only need to soak them in hot water, but you can also make these bowls with a thicker rice noodle that you need to boil on the stovetop to fully cook.
I wouldn’t recommend this, as vermicelli noodles are very fragile and will dry out and break pretty quickly after cooking. The good news is that they only require soaking for a few minutes!
This recipe will still be delicious with some cilantro and green onion, but if you can find these fresh herbs, I highly recommend using them – they add a very unique flavor! Some standard grocery stores will carry Thai Basil, but I usually have to make a trip to my local Asian market to find Perilla. It’s always worth the trip though 🙂
If you’re looking for more delicious noodle bowls, you’ll also love these Spicy Sesame Noodles (Ma Jiang Mian), this Cooked Ramen Noodle Salad with Kimchi, and this Easy Vegan Pad Thai!
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Vibrant Vermicelli Noodle Bowls with Tofu | Easy Vietnamese-Inspired Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- Juice of 1/2 lime about 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce* or 1 tablespoon vegetarian fish sauce
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 clove of garlic finely minced or grated
- 1-2 tablespoons water to thin (if necessary)
For the Bowls:
- 1 batch Sweet Chili Tofu* or sub 14 ounces store-bought pre-seasoned tofu
- 4 ounces vermicelli noodles*
- 1/4 head leafy green lettuce chopped
- 1 carrot grated or finely sliced
- 2 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced (or 1/2 English cucumber)
- 1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs cilantro,mint, thai basil, and/or Vietnamese perilla (tía tô)
- 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Soak the Noodles: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in an electric kettle or pot. Place the vermicelli noodles in a wide-bottom bowl, then carefully pour the water over them. Let soak for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Drain into a colander and set aside.
- Make the Dressing: In the meantime, add the vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and garlic to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well to combine. If the dressing is thicker than you'd like, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin. Set aside.
- Assemble: Divide the noodles and lettuce between large bowls, then top with Sweet Chili Tofu, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and peanuts.
- Serve: Drizzle each bowl with dressing, then serve as desired. Vegetable and dressing leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the noodles are best made fresh each time before eating.
Recipe Notes
- Soy Sauce: this recipe can be made with soy sauce, tamari, liquid aminos, or vegetarian fish sauce. Vg fish sauce is very salty, so you’ll only need 1 tablespoon; you can find it in asian markets or online.
- Tofu: if you prefer, you can also make this Crispy Tofu or this 5-Spice Tofu instead! Or, just go with a store-bought flavored variety.
- Vermicelli Noodles: vermicelli noodles are very thin rice noodles, similar to angel hair vs. regular pasta. Because they are so thin, you do not need to cook them on the stovetop – only soak in water! These noodles are sometimes difficult to find in the grocery store, so I buy them from my local asian market. You can also purchase them online. If you do not have access to these, you can use Pad-Thai-style noodles; just follow the package instructions.
Use Shirataki noodles if you want to cut the carbs. Excellent recipe.
Glad you enjoyed!
This recipe is delicious!!!!! I’ve meal prepped with it twice now. The sauce… oh my gee. I had to tone back on the vinegar a bit but that’s just personal preference. Amazing & SO easy.
Thanks so much
So happy you love it, Carrie!
These vegan vermicelli noodle bowls are so delicious and easy to make! The combination of flavors and textures is perfect. I love the addition of edamame and avocado, it makes the dish feel extra special. I will definitely be making these again soon!
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Thank you for the feedback! I’m glad you loved it and I hope your friends love it too, Raju!
This was delicious! Prepped everything while the tofu was cooking. I like a little extra spice, so I added chili oil to the finished product, but the flavor was already there. I’ll definitely be making this again, and very soon!
Love that extra spice! Thank you for the feedback, JB. Glad you liked the recipe!
Really easy and soooo tasty! The dressing was amazing!